Harvester picker-stem.



UNITED sTA'rnsrnTENT OFFICE..

GEORGE LISPENARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOR TO S. K. LIECHTENSTEIN,

' TRUSTEE, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

HARVESTER PICKER-STEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.` 22, 1913.

To all whom t may concern.'

j Be it `known that 1,? GEORGE LISPENARD, a citizen `of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the `city of New York, borough of Brooklyn,in` the county of Kings and State of to remove the ripe cotton from thebolls of the` cotton plants while the vehicle which carries the pickingbelts travels alongl the row' of plants.

One of the objects of `my invention is to provide a picker stem forcot-ton harvesters which will pick a largerproportion of the cotton:than any heretofore used and one which will inno way injure the plantor` of its parts.

an 'lhe present picker `stem when presented in proximity to the plantand revolved to pic the cotton from the boll will in no way lnjurethelplant nor will it injure any art of the plant while itly is being;presente to and removed from, the plant. Heretofore cotton` ickerstemshave been built up of a cylin rical body havinga flange or flangesextending ioutwardly some distance from the periphery, which flanges-were rovided withslots to form enga ing edges or picking `thecotton;kand W ile such stems are capable of pickinga certain amount` of cottonthey have not satisfactorily accomplished their purpose.. Such stems areapt to and do, fail to pick considerable of the cotton and they are aptto injure the `plant because of the engagement of thelatter with theflanges as the stem moves into and` out of `the plant for v the pickingoperation. That is, the flanges drag parts of the `plant and causeinjury to the latter and to the picker stems or their mounting.

One of the objects of `my resent invention is to provide a `single umtstem eferablyof cylindrical form,.grooved circumferentially to form :athread around its outer surface and to provide a` lurality of slotswhich intersect the thread 1n such a manner as to form ickingteeth`which do not ex tend beyon the peripheral limits of the \is revolved ina reverse direction.

thread. The slots are formed at such an angle that the teeth will bepitched inz such a manner that the picker -will remove the ripe cotton`from the boils whenthc picker is revolved in one direction and willdischargethc cotton so picked when the stein The thread is so shaped'and arranged that the teeth formed by the intersecting slots will moreperfectly pick the cotton from` the bells than was heretofore possible.

Another branch of my invention relates to the formation and mounting ofthe stem whereby it will have a propel' support upon the picking beltand whereby the stem may be very easily removed fromy the bclt forrepairs.

In the drawings forming a part of this application, Figure 1, is avertical sectional View of a supporting bar which .forms part of thepicker bclt of a cotton harvester, having mounted thereon my improvedpicker stem, Fig. 2, is a view in elevation ot the Stem, showing thcface thereof, Fig. 3. is a cross section of the picker stem. and Fig.et, is a similar view of a modified forni of stem showing the sameformed of elliptical shape in cross section. f

The picker stem proper is preferably formed las a cylindrical orelliptical body and mounted upon a supporting member. In tbe drawings lhave shown a cylindrical rotative sleeve 1, mounted on a beariugf2,which latter is rigidly mounted in the rear plate 3, ot' the pickerbelt. The picker belt consists ot' inner and outer plates 3 and 5,connected by end plates i, and between the plates 3 and 5, are mountedpinions 7,1supported :upon studs 8, secured between the plates. Thesleeve' l, extends through the late 5 and secured upon its inner endsand ying between the plates 3 and 5,'of the picker belt is a gear bymeans of which i the rotative movement is imparted to the picker stems.The pinions 7 and gears (l, mesh with each other" and form a train of.1gears for operating `the several stems `on a belt section in unison. ()nthe stud 9, which is secured'to thefront plate 5, is arranged 1 a sleeve10, which revolves on the stud and` which extends through the plate 3.The pinion 7, on 'the sleeve l0 meshes with the gears 6, the same as theother pinions 7.3 Upon the end of the sleeve 10, outside the plate3,[there is provided a sprocket 11,1

which is operated by a chain 12, traveling over Ithe sprocket *13, on ashaft 14, forming part of the picker stern operatinglnechanisni ofthecotton harvester.

The picker stein proper lpreferably consists of acylindrical body 15,which lits over the sleeve 1, whereby the member 2, will form a bearingfor the stem substantially the length of the latter. The stem is removable from its bearing `whereby the several stems may be independentlyremoved from the picker belt, in case of injury to any individual stern.For this-purpose I provide a cap 24, which extends over the ends of thesleeve 1, and stein 15 and a cylindrical portion 24a thereof fitsintojlthe end of the sleeve and abuts against the end of the` bearing.

' In a casing 23a arranged laterally in the ltectswthe parts from dust.

cylindrical portion 24 is arranged a coil `spring 23, which pressesoutwardly on a locking pin 22. The smaller end 21, of the locking pinextends through apertures 19 and 20 in the sleeve 1, and stein 15respectively, which apertures register W'ith each other when the steinis in place. The cap therefore locks the stem and sleeve and pro- Toremove a picker stein from the belt it is only necessary to' "press thepin 21, to disengage the saine from thesleeve and picker stem and thecap anlstem will then slide olf.

The pickel' stern 15, itself consistsvof va unit having a groovedsurface forming circumferential raised4 portions preferably in thenature of a thread. In the preferred form of my invention a groove 17 isformed circumferentially around `thelstem and is preferablyl acontinuous spiral, forming a raised thread 18, between'the severalconvolutions of the groove. The raised portions 18, therefore are on anare substantially Iat right angles to the axis of the stem, beingpitched only sutiiciently to form a continuous thread through thelengthgof the stem. It is not absolutely necessary that the thread be asingle continuous one, but it is preferable because it is cheaper tomake and bei cause it is easier to discharge the picked.

cotton therefrom. The thread 18, is wider at its base 18L and diminishesin kvvidthto the peripherywhere it is very narrow, and is referably butan edge.

. addition lto the circumferential groovey andthread I have providedslots 16, which are cut through .the thread and intersect the ooves 17;and Apreferably these slots are drmed continuous from end to end of thestem and parallel with Ythe -axisthereoi Wherever the slot 16.passesfthrough they thread 18, ythere is formed a pickingtooth 25 vso.that the intersectingslots and grooves form yrows of icking teeth thepoints of "which coinci e withv the periphery of theA ,picker stem and`therefore do not eX-. tend ibeyond lthe periphery of the thread.

There are preferably a .number of such slots 1(3, formed at intervals onthe surface of the sti-n1 so that vthere will be formed a large numberof teeth on the stein. Since the thread tapers to a narrow or even sharptop edge, the teeth Q5, will be pointed and this materially improvesthepicking qualities because thc teeth more readily take hold of thedelicate fibers of the-cotton, even though the contact between thecotton and stem be Very light.

The shape and disposition of the slots 16,

materially affect the efficiency of the picker stein. These slots arehere sho-Wn as directed inwardly froi'n the periphery of the pickerstein at an angle to the radii of the stem, or

as may be said, at an 'angle to radial planes narrow and the Width ofthe slotis uniform,`

givingthe'best picking and discharging results. The teeth obtain thequickest and best hold upon the cotton bers and the slot is of suchshape as to permit a quick discharge of the cotton when revolved in ayreverse direction for that purpose.

l/Vhen the'picker stem is presented in;

proximity to the cotton boll `and revolved, the cotton fibers maycontactwith the'tops of the thread 18, andthe picker teeth 25,

ivill take quick -hold ofthe cotton even though the contact between thepicker and cotton be very light; and as the teeth do not extend beyondAthe periphery ofthe thread no injury `will result to the cotton plantor any part thereof With .which the stem may Contact, es ecially if theslotsl, are very narrow. hen the stem is carried away from the plant andrevolved in a direction reverse to the picking movement, the stem willdisc 'arge its cotton readily, simply as a result of its revolution.

As the several convolutions of the thread 18` are close and the threadsare of comparatively slight depththere'vvill be no injury to the plantas the stem is presented to and removed from the plant.v

Having described my f invention what I claim is 1. A picker stem for`cotton harvesters, comprising `a substantially circular body groovedcircumferentially to form peripheral threads, and having `narrow slotsof uniform Width cut in the said threads, said slots dividingY thethreads and intersecting said peripheral grooves, to form picker: teethcoincidingwith the periphery of said threads. i

2. A picker stem for `cotton harvesters, comprising a substantiallycircular body,` grooved circumferentially to form peripheral threads inclose proximity with` each other and decreasing in width toward theirperiphery to form narrow top edges, said body having substantiallylongitudlnal narrow slots of uniform width cut through and dividing saidthreads and intersecting said peripheral `grooves to `form pointedpicker teeth coincidingwith the perlphery of said threads. n

3. .A picker `stem for cotton harvesters, comprising Ia substantiallycircular body, grooved clrcumferentially to form peripheral threads incloseproximity with each other and decreasing in width toward theirperipheryl to form top edges,` said body havlng substantiallylongitudinal slots having straight parallel side walls, cut through anddividing said threads and intersecting said peripheral grooves to formpointed picker teeth coinciding `with the periphery of said threads,said slots being cut obliquely to radii of said body adjacent thereto,whereby said teeth will be undercut.

LA picker stem for cotton harvesters,

comprising a substantially circular elongated body having a spiralgroove disposed cireumferentially `around the same substan-` tially atright angles to the axis of the body and extending substantially thelength of the picker, and forming a circumferential thread on saidV bodyoftriangular cross sec tion, said body having narrow` longitudinal slotscut through and dividing said thread intersecting said` groove, to form`pointed teeth colnciding with the periphery rof the thread, said slotsbeing defined by and straight parallel side walls whereby the slots willbe of uniform width and said slots being directed obliquely to radii ofIsaid body adjacent thereto whereby the said teeth will be undercut.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto

